The County of Grande Prairie focused on infrastructure and maintaining service levels during their 2025 interim budget discussions.
The newly drafted budget includes a $3.96 million deficit due to the council’s goal of maintaining vital services and programs, including investments in roads, water, and sewer infrastructure, along with commitments to inter-municipal cost sharing for projects in the recreation and culture sector.
Council opted to defer any discussions around property taxes to final budget deliberations in April, so a mill rate has yet to be finalized for the county’s property owners. County administration will continue to look for cost-savings in the deficit, assessment values, currently unfunded items from the interim budget, and the seniors’ foundation and education levies, which the municipality must collect on behalf of the provincial government.
Despite the council’s choice to move property tax discussions to the final budget meeting in April, County Reeve Bob Marshall suggests residents should expect at least a “moderate” tax increase in the new year.
“In past years when residents saw no increase in property taxes, Council was accessing reserves and withdrawing more from savings than we were able to replenish,” he says. “We have opted to move any discussion around property taxes to final budget; however, a moderate tax increase should be expected.”
According to the county, the $174.3 million budget includes an estimated $115.7 million for general operations and $58.6 million for capital investments.
Some highlights from the county’s budget talks include- approximately 56 per cent of the capital budget going towards road and bridge projects, and $7.8 million for a variety of recreation, health, community, culture, library organizations.
